This is the fourth article in a series on common usability and graphical user interface related terms [part I | part II | part III]. On the internet, and especially in forum discussions like we all have here on OSNews, it is almost certain that in any given discussion, someone will most likely bring up usability and GUI related terms - things like spatial memory, widgets, consistency, Fitts' Law, and more. The aim of this series is to explain these terms, learn something about their origins, and finally rate their importance in the field of usability and (graphical) user interface design. In part IV today, we focus on a dead horse Fitts' Law.

Yes, you can do the arrow key thing, but that's sometimes slower than idly swinging the cursor in the general direction of a window. Especially with spatial window managers (Nautilus's spatial mode help file was what taught me the alt-trick.)

And GNOME has another shortcut (not alt-right drag like KDE) for resizing.

And GNOME has another shortcut (not alt-right drag like KDE) for resizing.

If they do they sure do a hell of a good job of making it hard to find. It's not an option in any of the config dialogs. Sure there is ALT-F7 or something, but that's not anywhere near as useful or fast.

Nope! The X server does not deal with initiating window motion. It only has mechanisms for actually moving the window to a new location on the screen. The Window Manager is entirely responsible for how moves are to be initiated, whether it is clicking on the titlebar, or holding alt, or even using the keyboard. You might be getting confused by the fact that many window managers allow you to use alt+mouse to move a window. But it is no more a feature of X than dragging the title bar is.